Gerry Adams says he moved to have his brother 'dumped'

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said that he made moves to have his alleged pedophile brother "dumped" from nominations for a local election in County Louth in 1997.

Over the weekend photos emerged of Adams canvassing with his brother in Dundalk in 1997. A spokesperson for Adams said that the leader made moves to have his brother "dumped" from local elections when he learned of the sexual abuse towards his niece.

Liam Adams' daughter was just four years of age when she says the sexual abuse began in the late 1970's. She says she was abused by her father for over eight years.

It has transpired that Liam Adams withdrew his nominations preceding the 1997 local elections in County Louth.

Gerry Adams has said that the photos had "not in any way punched a hole" in his statement against his brother.

Asked why Adams canvassed with his alleged pedophile brother his spokesperson said, "what was he to do: stand up and say on a loudspeaker that there are allegations of abuse against my brother?"

The spokesperson said that dissident republicans were trying to discredit Adams.

The Police Service Northern Ireland are currently in the process of obtaining a European arrest warrant for the suspected pedophile. Liam Adams' lawyer Philip Breen has said that his client is not yet able to hand himself over to the authorities in the North. He said that Adams would not receive a fair trial in the North.

Speaking to the Irish news, Breen said that "he is not going to surrender himself up here at the moment. We will revisit that if and when we have to in the future."

Breen said, "These allegations came to light in 1987, according to what we had been told by police during his arrest. We were told by police that the alleged injured party didn't wish to proceed but she wished to have Mr. Adams spoken to by police. At absolutely no time up until 2007 did police speak to Mr. Adams. In 2007 police called to a residence and left a police card for Mr. Adams to contact them."

Breen further added, "He immediately contacted them and went voluntarily to the police station in my company. Throughout a series of interviews he strenuously denied the allegations."

Gerry Adams has stated in his blog that he will no longer comment further in the matter.